Letter: Tri-City Regional Public Facilities District should include county voters

As a citizen of West Richland, one gets used to being ignored in the Tri-Cities. But I found it discouraging to learn that the Herald editorial board thinks the citizens of the two counties not living in the Tri-City Regional Public Facilities District should have the same the same right to vote on the district's ballot measure as underage voters, non-registered and apathetic voters or, even worse, felons. The aquatic center vote was an issue that affects us all and we should all have had a vote.

There are a few ways to raise public funds using sales tax increases. Some districts and counties raise sales tax on hotels and rental cars to raise funds by charging those that use these services. This is not the same.

The citizens of West Richland, Benton City, Basin City and the unincorporated county areas don't have a real choice but to shop in those other three cities. Not only are we being taxed without any say so, the Herald asks, "What could we do if we all pulled together?" The problem is not all of us have been asked to pull together, just to capitulate to the ones the Herald deems worthy.

MIKE CURTISS, West Richlandddd

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